Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26
CHARLOTTE
VIVID INCIDENT OF THE FRANCO
MEXICAN WAR RECALLED.
The Empress Saved BY the Speed Of Her
White Mare and Boulangef's
Soldiers.
fCinclnnati Commercial Gazette. I

| riding on white, swift mare through
the streets at full speed. She was
without escort, and her course was from
the western side of the Palacio Nacio-
nal, situated in the heart OF the CITY.
The bells of the great Cathedral and
of every church in the city were ring
ing; regiment Of French cavalry
came out from the Palacio Nacional
and went through Plateros avenue west
towards the royal castle of Chapulte-
pee. Groups of men gathered on
the corners of the streets and
in the CATS, asking each other
what il all meant women and children
appeared in front of their houses and
balconies, making anxious inquiries.
Some said the Liberales Rojos (Red
Liberals, as the Mexican soldiers fight
ing for their country were called, had
come to lay siege to the city others
that the EMPIRE SIS was near being caught
by gang of bandits, but that she made
her escape ahead of her body guard Of
soldiers, or guard dhOaneur; others
surmised that it was the guerrilla band
of General Aureliano, from the noun
tain of st. Juan, fifty miles from the
capital, in pursuit of French regiment
carrying provisions for the army and
others affirmed it was q French bat
talon, bribed or suborned by Mexi-
can general, who, deserving his party,
had gone TO join the Mexican army.
Soon the regiment came back con-
Quoting twelve men, eight of them in
an ambulance cart and q woman in a
coach. The curiosity of the people in
creased, but the soldiers had strict or
ders and did not answer single ques-
ton, even to their comrades. How
ever, it was learned that the Empress,
while on her way to Chapultepec, was
assaulted by guerrilla band, that she
had escaped ahead of her soldiers, who
were either killed or seriously wounded
with a single exception. Her dame
d'honneur was also safe. Charlotte,
after this event, no longer fire.
quonted her favorte riding-place
from the Palacio Nacional to the
Royal Castle Of Chapultepec. In
fact, four days afterwards Maxa-
milan, with his court, went to
Olipdo Estate Of Moreles), his
summer residence, to spend part Of the
summer. While there he received that
well-knovn letter from Napoleon Ill,
saying che had resolved to abandon
him TO his own fate" This induced
the Empress to the extraordinary reso-
luton of going herself to Paris, for the
purpose of comforting with Napoleon,
ana persuading him to continue his aid
to the precarious empire. Accordingly
she sailed from Vera Cruz on the Sth
of July, and reached Paris the Sth
OF August The following day she
presented herself at the Palais de St.
Cloud, where she had IN interview with
Napoleon, who received her in very
Geld manner, and refused to help Max
imilian any longer, adding that he was
going 10 order the retreat of the entire
French army from Mexican soil. The
disheartened Empress left Paris and
went to Rome, where she was lodged
in the Vatican. The next day she gave
signs of a disturbed mind, and on the
4th of October she was recognized as
having lost her reason, and was taken
10 Lakon, near Brussels.
Macmillan received the sad news
about h > wife's condition at the same
time that Napoleon, urged by the notes
Of Secretary Seward, ordered the re-
treat of the French army from Mexico,
when the Mexicans, reused like one
man, endeavored to complete the ex-
pulsion of the invaders Seeing that
everything was against him, the En-
peror decided TO resign his crown and
return to Europe. He was on his way
to Vera Cruz-his baggage was al
ready on board the frigate Dandolo-
when he received TIE letter from
his secretary, Elton, saying that,
far from being welcome by his
brother, Francis Joseph, Emperor of
Austria, he would be imprisoned as
soon as he dared to step on Austrian
soil God only knows what impression
this letter made on him, and the result
was that he resolved 10 go back to the
capital and abandon himself to his fate.
The end of this unfortunate Prince is
we'll known, who paid with his life on
the hill of Las Campanus for the foolish
ness of lending himself as an instru
ment in the hands of the ambitious ie
petit Napoleon.
In 1863 | was coming from the city
of Mexico to FL Paso, Tex, and by
chance ] met General Aureliano, who is
now member of the National Con-
gress in the City Of Mexico. We began
to talh of the improvements of the
country and ON other topics. When
We passed the city OF Queretaro, where
Macmillan Was made prisoner, ] men
toned the incident about the Empress
Charlotte III 1866, and he said: "Yes
1t was / who made the attempt to cap
ture her VIII You explain to me
how it was, and what your intentions
were, General ;" " Yes" he answered.
"Ycu may remember" he said, 1.-The
decree of the Sd of October, 1865,
issued by Naximilian and his Minis
tiers, and which read: Every Mexican
caught with any weapon i'll his hands
shall he considered as bandit and shall
be executed Immediately. It is said
that Macmillan himself was opposed to
this decree, but, Influenced by Bazaine
and the Empress Charlotte, was com
PEELED to issue it. Now, by this merci
less law, We lost the bravest of our sol
diers and the best of our generals. In
May, of 1866, the well-known and per-
haps the best of our guerrilleros, Nico-
las Romero, was taken prisoner in ia
lisco and brought to the City of Mexico,
where, together with others, he was to
be shot on the 9th of June. L had
great regard for this man,
brave in battle and merciful with
his prisoners, and | resolved, at
the risk of my life, to save
him. | was commanding 1000 men /;
my headquarters was the Mount of st.
Juan, which you know is not far from
the capital. / chose sixty of my bravest
men, and, favored by the darkness OF
the night of the 9Th of June, led
them through the forests of the road
connecting the castle of Chapultepec
with the capital. | hid my men and
myself in a small river along the road.
| knew the Empress had to pass be-
tween the hoursof 6 and Z in the morn
ing. as she was accustomed to take a
ride every morning at that hour from
the city to the castle. My intention
was to capture her, and by doing that
| was sure to rescue my great friend.
[ also knew she had with her ten
or twelve men, but L had six